


Pins and Needles

by methylviolet10b



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Holidays, Prompt Fic, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-16
Updated: 2012-08-16
Packaged: 2017-11-12 06:32:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/487768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/methylviolet10b/pseuds/methylviolet10b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John makes some unusual sartorial choices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pins and Needles

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the July 4, 2011 prompt over on Watson's Woes. 
> 
> PROMPT: Celebration of a non-British holiday (either legitimate or not; crack/fluff is acceptable for this prompt)

On July 1st, John left for work at the clinic wearing a ridiculous beret with the word “Roots” stitched across it. He also had a big maple-leaf pin attached to his lapel.

On July 4th, John and Sherlock were in the middle of a case. John used the brief time they were at the flat not only to eat (and try to convince Sherlock to eat) and shower, but to change clothes. He left the flat wearing a red, white, and blue t-shirt, a pin shaped like a white-headed eagle, denims, and the most absurd pair of star-spangled Chuck Taylors. Later in the day, Sherlock had John pretend to be a tourist. It worked surprisingly well, but then again, clothes do make the man.

On July 14th, Sherlock stopped John on his way out of the flat to do some shopping. He jabbed one finger at the red, white, and blue thing stuck to John’s shirt, apparently made out of concentric circles of ruffled ribbon. “Why?” he demanded. “You’ve been wearing the most bizarre things. I realize the days, of course. First Canada Day, then American Independence Day, and now Bastille Day. But why? You’re British, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” John replied mildly. “I haven’t forgotten at all – but that’s the point. Each of the pins you’ve seen me wearing – and some of the clothes – were given to me by fellow soldiers I met while in the Army. Foreign soldiers, who exchanged these kinds of things with me as tokens of goodwill. I wear them now to remind me of friendly faces when I was far from home, and to provide a friendly face in return, if I happen to meet one of their countrymen on that particular day.”

“Oh.” Sherlock thought for a moment. “All of those things? Even the trainers?”

“I think the trainers might have been a bit of a joke,” John admitted. “But laughter’s a rare gift, sometimes.”

“Oh,” Sherlock said again, apparently at a loss for words.

John smiled at him. “You’ll like Anzac Day. I make biscuits.”

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted July 4, 2011


End file.
